Quote of the Day

Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives.
A. Sachs

What a Monday!

Lots going on as usual- every day there's something else to contend with and today was no different. I can't go into any detail but trust me some days I want to poke people with a fork!

Quote of the Day

"The flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come."
-Song of Solomon 2:12

Coffee

As you know besides crafting, coffee is always on my mind! I can't help it, I LOVE the stuff! So you wonder where am I going with this coffee topic right? Well...I bought a French Coffee Press or at Portmeirion better known as the Botanic Garden Cafetiere Coffee. I've wanted one of these French Presses for years! So many of my girlfriends swear by them and well I finally got the chance to buy one and at HALF of the retail price! So here I am typing while drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee using my new French Press and I have to say- OH my word is this ever one smooth cup of coffee!!! I am doing the happy dance today folks! Check out Coffee Geek to learn how to use a press pot.

The Pottery Trip

Our motley crew consisted of 8 women and 1 male driver. Our trip took us up to Stoke-on-Trent home of where pretty much the majority of all of British pottery is made. Our guide took us to several of the most popular pottery outlet shops. We went to three different Portmeirion shops, and each was awesome! Besides Portmeirion, we also went to Burleigh, Emma Bridgewater and Wedgwood. There were many more labels than just Wedgwood at the Wedgwood outlet- there was Waterford, Johnson Bros., Rosenthal, Royal Albert, Royal Doulton, Coalport and Minton and that was just for dishes, there were more in the Crystal department.

I can't begin to tell you what it was like to see of all of those beautiful dishes on display. Every store was set up in such an appealing manner and there were great buys to be had at every shop! Okay I'll confess, I didn't buy any crystal- my purchases consisted of 1- Waterford item, (my token purchase for the store) which is a Bone Chine Coffee pot, of course I bought oodles of Portmeirion (my main reason for going on this trip in the first place), a couple of Emma Bridgewater chicken themed items and several Burleigh 3 piece teacup sets that I plan on using as thank you gifts in the future...that is unless I become attached to them ;-)

They give you free tea/coffee and biscuits (cookies) at the Burleigh outlet and in case your shopping has you working up an appetite, there are tea shops in the Emma Bridgewater and Wedgwood stores where you can have lunch with your girlfriends :-)

It might have been in the 30's all day long BUT I dare say that I had a very pleasant day to say the least!

Ps- We all bought so much that we were dropped off at our front doors with our purchases :-)

Quote of the Day

If you make it plain you like people, it's hard for them to resist liking you back.
-Lois McMaster Bujold, Diplomatic Immunity, 2002

Shop til you Drop

Alright I'm about to go out the door- my Stoke on Trent pottery Tour leaves in about a half an hour. The pick up and drop off are right around the corner from my house :-) I'm going to see all I can see and buy pottery and other interesting things. I'll have to fill you in later on the Brackley Civic Ball- but in a nutshell- it was FABULOUS!

Quote of the Day

Setting a good example for children takes all the fun out of middle age.
- William Feather

How I've spent my day...

I've been in My Scrapbook Nook all day long-playing with patterned paper, cardstock, Prima flowers and many different scrapbooking tools. Life is GOOD!!! Tuesday evening is going to be sooooo much fun!

Yesterday...

... was spent in the company of my daughter and husband. They both had medical appointments at RAF Lakenheath and we decided to drive there instead of taking the medical shuttle which was a wise choice since I wanted to be able to do some shopping while there.

The base has so much to offer in the way of amenities- if you're missing American junk food it's there and at Mildenhall. But to be honest, we chose to dine off base at a British Pub- it's one we ate at before and we wanted to go back for a revisit, this last dining experience- the food was just like it was 3½ years ago-YUMMY!

Are you in need a crafting fix? The Craft and Hobby Shop at Lakenheath is the place to go! Granted it's not Hobby Lobby but it'll do for out here! I do needlework, quilting stamping, scrapbooking and all kinds of paper crafts- and let me tell you that you WILL be able to come out of there having spent some money- it's hard not to! Great sale going on Valentines items in the store and I found some supplies for my paper crafting class that's on next Tuesday! I LOVE the 2 sided paper I bought! And what's not to love about the Lakenheath BX? Enough said right there! Cosmetics, perfume, computers, TV's, handbags and more! All at great BX prices. I enjoy living here in England but to be honest, it is expensive so any kind of break we can get on the cost of things is a blessing!

Quote of the Day

"What we do comes out of who we believe we are."
-Rob Bell

My illusion today is...

Thinking that the repair people who are scheduled to arrive sometime between the hours of 8 am and 1 pm will arrive first thing in the morning...that's already gone out the window! Been waiting nearly an hour and no sign of anyone!

So what is there for me to do but to work on putting together those card kits :-) I was going to have some girlfriends come over and put them together but alas the rest of the week is full full full and so are the first couple of days of the following week. I'll be gone tomorrow as it's an orthodontic appointment for Hannah (that's an all day adventure), Friday is Luncheon day with friends and I have a function to attend that evening. Saturday I'm going on an ITT trip to Stoke on Trent and will be doing some pottery shopping! Sunday is Potluck Sunday at church and it goes on and on. Tuesday is the event date of the class so I better get it done now while I'm waiting.

Quote of the Day

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
- Albert Einstein

What's your favorite color?

When was the last time someone asked you "What's your favorite color?" For me that answer could change daily. I love to pair colors, Red and Green, Fuchsia Pink and Lime Green, Ocean Blue and Bottle Green, Sunflower Yellow and Grass Green...have you seen a pattern yet? It's Green, always green and some other color. I love to pair green with everything!

In case you're wondering what I'm up to today...I'm wearing green, purple and denim blue. I feel spring time all around me, and purple crocus flowers are blooming in my muddy flower beds :-)

I'm trying to plan a farewell party for a dear friend and she's not making it easy for me that's for sure! She always wears black, dark brown or some shade of gray. I've never seen her wear bright colors-ever! I know that some people just prefer neutral tones and well to be honest this is making it very hard for me as I have ZERO quilting fabrics in shades of gray and I think I only have 2 pieces that are black and maybe a half dozen black and white pieces. SOooooo I will have to figure out something. Maybe I'll take a stab in the dark and use jewel tones.

Quote of the Day

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow.
-Fernanda Miramontes

#3 done!

I just knocked out another card design for my paper crafting card making class that's in a couple of weeks. I'll admit it, it can be difficult trying to figure out what kinds of card making projects to do for a class of 20 people that will keep them interested and not overwhelm them. Did I mention that I'm also supplying this out of my own stash? Yup, I sure am. That's another one of my obstacles- I'm wanting to use up some of the stuff that I brought with me- that is after all why I brought it right?

The other thing- I'm trying to keep the stamping down to a minimum- I want to show these ladies that you can make a great looking card without a lot of stamping involved. Crafting stores are far and few in between here where I live and what we do have available is well lets just say that it's rather expensive. Being that we don't get paid in the British pound but rather the US Dollar, we want to get as much bang as our buck can get us!

Look for the pictures of these card either the day of the class or the day after. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Quote of the Day

Memories, important yesterdays, were once todays. Treasure and notice today.
-Gloria Gaither

My Lenten Challenge

I've found my Lenten challenge, it's something that I actually spoke about recently at a spouses meeting. I was reflecting upon what I had said, really thinking about what I was asking the other spouses to do. It's not as if I hadn't done this kind of thing before but this time around I'm going to step it up a notch. I'm calling it - Practice what you Preach.

Quote of the Day

Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.”
- John Lennon

Teaching vs. Instructing

There's a difference between teaching some one how to do something and instructing them how to do something. Teaching a group of people how to stamp without halo's, cut straight lines and what colors to put together is one thing but what I'm going to do with my group is more of a "lets pull the sticky tabs off and stick it together kind of thing".

Part of me feels as if I'm not really teaching anyone anything, then the other part of me says- we have major time constraints to contend with not to mention that 20 people is a large class (I like to limit my class sizes to no more than 10 people) and the fact that only 1 person that I know of has done any kind of paper crafting -so it's potentially a class full of newbies. I hope that they enjoy the projects that I have for them to work on.

Now I had intended on posting pictures of the projects here on my blog but I've changed my mind on that. I want the ladies to be pleasantly surprised when they come to the next function. I will post pictures after the event is over.

Quote of the Day

Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.
-Albert Eninstein

Quote of the Day

Half of the modern drugs could well be thrown out of the window, except that the birds might eat them.
- Dr. Martin Henry Fischer

One prototype down...

So there I was, wanting to come up with something fresh, a card that was fun to make and fun to give. So as I was thumbing through some old card idea books there it was...I saw it, something that struck me as unusual...and I'm very pleased with the results! It's easy for me to make up 20+ kits for this class and what's even better - it will be easy for beginner paper crafters to put together too! So now for me to finish up inking all of the edges of the cut paper.

Note to self- need to buy 100 Ziploc baggies for all of the card parts/kits.

Now to come up with an idea for another card...I think that I have some manual labor to do for the next idea.

Quote of the Day

One joy shatters a thousand sorrows.
Chinese Proverb

Building Card Kits

Today I'm going to spend time in my scrapbook nook and build card kits for my up coming class AKA Paper crafting Night with our spouses group. I've got to come up with ideas that will be fun and entertaining and not frustrating and overwhelming. I'm going to put everyone on the same level and group them as beginners.

I decided to do 4 cards and a small box- how much would you pay for a class that made that many items? How much would you pay for a kit that all you had to do was to put it together and that the adhesive was included? There's no stamping involved in any of this, it's just a put together kit. I'm on a time crunch and will not be having an assistant to help me- not to mention that I could have as many as 20 people putting together cards. So stamping and punching out of items is not an option due to time constraints.

Now to have some more coffee and to look at what I'm going to have these ladies making in the realm of paper crafting :-) Will post pictures later after I come up with some ideas.

Quote of the Day

There are 350 varieties of shark, not counting loan and pool.
- L. M. Boyd

God's Plan

God's plan isn't just about "us" it's about a community of people coming together, praying together and supporting one another. His plan is different for each and every one of us. It's to remind us that although we might not be here forever- it's the good things that we do while we are here and the love we share with one another that will live on long after we are gone.

I wrote those words to a friend whose husband is terminally ill with cancer. The cancer has now spread to his brain and it's simply breaking my heart.

George Washington Birthday Celebration

Here I am, an American living in England, trying to soak up every little thing around me. Yesterday my husband and I attended a Birthday Celebration for George Washington at the Parish Church of Saint James the Less in Sulgrave. This small chapel was amazing! It's old (really old) and very well looked after. I found that a parish family bore my maiden name and that they also once owned Sulgrave Manor (George Washington's ancestral home), pretty cool stuff I dare say!



After the church service we went to Sulgrave Manor and had a tour of place. If anyone ever has the chance, I highly recommend the tour. I'm going to attempt to take the extended tour (one that includes the gardens) later on in a few months- once it's warmer and the plants have had a chance to grow back and especially when it's less muddy. I'll promote this to the spouses groups and see if any spouses from our base would like to go, we can easily make it a special event for us.

Quote of the Day

They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?
-Princess Diana

I know that I've used this quote before, I just wanted to start the week off with a smile! Happy Monday Everyone!

Speaking of cake

How's this for a Birthday Cake? It's a Triple Layer Chocolate Truffle Cake. Yes I made this cake from scratch and with Ghirardelli chocolate no less! I don't do cake decorating with the fancy writing, scroll work and pretty icing flowers and such but I do know how to make dessert! I've made this cake a few times in the past and it's never failed me!

Quote of the Day

There is nothing better than birthday cake. It's like a slice of concentrated love with buttercream frosting.
--Takayuki Ikkaku, Arisa Hosaka and Toshihiro Kawabata

It's that time of year again...

To wish my husband Happy Birthday!

Quote of the Day

I have noticed that the people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them.
-E. V. Lucas

I'm a winner!

I've won something not once but twice this week! First it was oooooh I'm so thrilled with this... Kim's Blog- I won her blog candy on Monday and on Tuesday I won a prize at our spouses group Bling Bling Bunko (I won the bracelet). So please check out Kim's blog- she's got some great card making and scrapbooking ideas happening over there!

More on Lent...

I'm going to do what I've been doing these past few years and take on a challenge versus giving anything up. I laugh when friends think that they are helping me when they say "give up coffee" or give up Toast and Jam with your Tea- get real! These are the handful of things keeping me sane and you want me to give these up? I've give up quite a bit since moving here to England, I don't think that it's fair to ask me to give up more.

Think about it...
I've given up my quilters group, my paper crafting group, my water aerobics group and my group of friends I regularly did things with. I've given up my comfortable home in SD for one that is small, compartmentalized, cold and lets not forget to mention that it has major plumbing and electrical issues. I've not stepped foot into a quilt shop since last June nor have I bought quilting fabric since last year and when I say last year I mean May/June 2009! Same goes for scrapbooking supplies- minus adhesive. I've given up attending Scrapbooking crops, card-making workshops, quilting retreats, quilting workshops and quilting classes, I've given up going out for coffee with friends, I've given up taking chef classes, going to school plays and singing recitals. I've given up participating in the State Fair and the big Black Hills Quilters Guild Quilt show I've given up fast food, beer and Pepsi in Lents past and have managed to stay away from them- okay so I have a Pepsi once in a Blue Moon. Do I miss my life back in the states- that's a BIG YES!
I do have to say that living here in England has opened up other avenues of entertainment. I've found other things to occupy my time and other things to look forward to. Meanwhile I still do miss the things I used to do and the people I used to do them with.

So let me be selfish and say that No, I'm not going to give anything up. I'm not perfect, I'm human. I've taken on more personal challenges for this year. Will I make a scrapbook layout about this? You bet I am!

Quote of the Day

Basic research is what I am doing when I don't know what I am doing.
- Wernher von Braun

This is my excuse for taking so long with writing my cookbook.

Lent- what are you giving up?

If I've been asked this once I've been asked this a dozen times. Many friends have suggested things for me to give up...coffee, tea with toast and jam, dining out and even crafting. Personally speaking I think everyone is nuts! Can you see me w/o coffee? Oh it would be ugly!

Quote of the Day

No one is useless in the world who lightens the burdens of another.
-Charles Dickens

When it Rains, it Pours...

And it shouldn't be raining through your ceilings. Aaaahhh much is how part of my day went yesterday. I was hosting a meeting here at my house yesterday and there were 5 of us gathered-round my kitchen table, it had started to rain while my friends were here, nothing unusual about that. We had concluded our business and were laughing telling stories of the silly things our pets have done. And one friend comments "Wow that rain sounds really loud", so I thought- yes it does, I wondered if the front door was open. Got up to check the door and then that's when I saw it- water in the hallway and water was pouring out from underneath the bathroom door. I opened the door fully expecting to see the toilet overflowing but it wasn't, it was coming through the ceiling light fixture raining down like an indoor waterfall. Needless to day I immediately called for my husband and Let me girlfriends know that the water was coming from the ceiling. They immediately pitched in and we got towels put down on the floor. What a mess!

The long and the short of it- the pipe that drains the water away from the bathtub was NOT attached!!! It's a miracle that this has not happened earlier to us!!! So today I'm here while plumbers are trying to assess what actually happened and are looking at the pipes underneath of the bathtub. Meanwhile I'm wondering when are they going to pull up the flooring in the hallway and bathroom and look into the ceiling- black mold is not something I want any part of!

Quote of the Day

The only really good place to buy lumber is at a store where the lumber has already been cut and attached together in the form of furniture, finished, and put inside boxes.
- Dave Barry

In Gods Hands

Yesterday I learned that friends of ours from a past assignment have been going through some truly hard times. You see, Mike has cancer it's in it's last stage and it's just a matter of time until he leaves us and goes to be with our Heavenly Father. Here's their blog In His Hand and Holding On Tightly. we never really know what God's plan for us is, maybe it's to spread the word that we aren't alone, that there is love and compassion in strangers. We've lost a few Air Force friends to cancer over the years and it doesn't get any easier as the years go on. All have been in the prime of life and have fought valiantly but in the end the Lord called them home to be with him. Please say a prayer for our military families.

Quote of the Day

Money doesn't always bring happiness. People with ten million dollars are no happier than people with nine million dollars.
- Hobart Brown

Quote of the Day

Love is the reason for it all.
--Dorothy Fields

Enjoy where you are!

Be nice to everyone! Be as generous as you can in giving of your time, your money and your love as you can as you never know how this kindness will be repaid. Our outing yesterday is living proof of that!

I make it a priority to take an interest in where my children attend school, to know things about the community in which I live and to learn as much about England while I'm here as humanly possible! Sure there are nice people and not so nice people here- but the same can go for anywhere- especially America. I ahve to tell you all that I have had the pleasure to meet so many truly nice British peoples, all of whom want to share their love of their country and British culture with myself and my family. Yesterday we had an outing into London for something that I think is rather special. You see, we were invited to a special civic luncheon that was being presented by the Bishopsgate Ward Club at the Guildhall in London.

The history of the place was amazing (we're making a point to go back there and this time we're bringing Hannah). Some ladies wore hats others wore fascinators - it's this fancy headband type thing I'll have to find a picture to show you because my description does not do it justice (I am going to buy myself one of those). Everyone was in their best looks, everyone enjoying themselves. We were the guest of a gentleman and his wife who were/are some of the most interesting and charming people we've met while here. The history that they told us of the place had us listening to every word, absorbing it like a sponge! I know that some Americans go on about how British people talk fast and how it's hard to understand their accent,now I wonder if they ever thought that to the British peoples- we're the ones with the accents and talk in manners that are hard to understand. It was not that way yesterday not at all although I did mention "pants" once and quickly recovered myself and said trousers, LOL! Our new friends got a small chuckle out of it but knew what I was talking about so it was not the embarrassing scene that it could have been.

I've got some pictures of this event to upload (taken with our daughters camera). We shall see how this camera performed (was it worth the small fortune we spent on it).

Quote of the Day

There are lots of ways of being miserable, but there's only one way of being comfortable, and that is to stop running round after happiness. If you make up your mind not to be happy there's no reason why you shouldn't have a fairly good time.
- Edith Wharton

Introduction into paper crafting

I'm going to to take a big leap and teach an Introduction into Paper Crafting class with the spouses group on base. I'm going to have several easy to put together projects as I do not want to overwhelm the ladies with coloring, stamping or even cutting out things with scissors. Everything will be pre-cut, pre-stamped, and sticky tabs put on so all they have to so is to peal and stick. I think that it's best not to overwhelm beginners and trust me I know this first hand. People see something and they want it to look exactly like the items on display, so my projects will be easy to make like the item on display. I'll give them a little taste of what kinds of items are out there on the market these days, I'll show them some of the different kinds of tools, papers and embellishments.

Quote of the Day

We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.
--Marcel Proust

Alzheimer's and my Dad

I was missing my Dad terribly yesterday. You see, he has advanced Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's. He was diagnosed back in 2005. Valentines Day was his favorite holiday to surprise "his girls". It was always a loving fun holiday with little tokens of Love. My husband and I do this sort of thing with our children and each other- surprise them with a small heartfelt gift or some chocolates or it could be flowers. It's always from the heart and always a surprise :-) Maybe this is why I adore heart shaped jewelry items, it stemmed from Valentines Day with my parents. We always received a heart of some sort- I still have many of the items I've received as a child from that holiday, I plan on gathering them together and making a scrapbooking lay about it (it'll be one of those artsy type pages).

What triggered it all was being in an antique shop yesterday. We're still on the hunt for a traditional piece of furniture that will hold our electronics in the living room/lounge. Ikea is fine for my Scrapbook Nook but not for my living room. So there I was looking at odds and ends, bric-a-brac and whatnot's when I stumbled upon this tea cup set the pattern on it was Dogwood Blossoms. Dogwood Blossoms- my dad's favorite flower. Right then and there I knew that I had to buy it! What a treasure for me to find yesterday. I also found a piece of furniture although I did not buy it (need to measure it first and see if it would work in the space). So there I was, my heart felt lonely as it missed my Dad. It's been a year since I saw him last- and on my last visit he did not recognize me.

I promise to not be so melancholy today. I'll be filling my time making some sweet treats for my family, planning a Valentines day dinner to rock their socks off and making cute little gift containers for neat gifts for my children.

Quote of the Day

"The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of."
--Blaise Pascal

What's on your Work desk Wednesday

It's more like what I need to put away than what I'm working on.

Quote of the Day

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Reinhold Niebuhr, in a sermon in 1943

Sharing

Can you name only one thing that gives you pleasure? For me it's the act of "Sharing". From sharing a meal with friends to sharing my time or talents with those that are in need of comforting, reassurement or just my crafty goodness. So today I am sharing with friends- a meal, my time and some good old crafty goodness!

Today's message...
Life is too short to wake up with regrets. ♥ So love the people who treat you right. ♥ Forget about the one's who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it!

Quote of the Day

Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open
--Elmer G Letterman

Where did the weekend go?

Talk about having the weekend going by in a whirlwind! Still didn't accomplish what I had set out to do. I got a "little" further on my quilting project when I say a little I mean a little, a very little.

Today's goals are-

• make French Onion soup (yes from scratch)
• organize paper crafting items for tomorrows project
• have lunch items together for tomorrow
• mop all hardwood floor areas
• sew some on quilting project
• hang pictures and wall clocks
• hang valance and sheers in stairway window

That's my short list...now for me to get cracking on it!

Quote of the Day

When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.
-Clifton Fadiman

stolen moment...

I'm about to hide out in the formal dining room and sew...I hope no one finds me for a while.

Also, Id post some pictures but alas the card reader has flubbed up and we have to take the computer apart to fix it-not fun!

Quote of the Day

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
--Marianne Williamson

501st Awards Banquet

There's something about these award banquets that makes me so proud of our Air Force Family. The willingness of others who volunteer their time to so many different causes and organizations and the recognition of said persons. To see them supported by their family, friends and co-workers and applauded by their peers.

Yesterday afternoon I got dressed up and proceeded to go out with 5 friends to the event that was being held 1½ hours away. Not a one of us complained about the time spent in the car but rather we employed ourselves more gainfully in cheerful conversation. It was a delightful evening! My husband and I got to talk with some folks we knew while we were stationed at Ellsworth AFB, SD. You see, it is a small world...especially when we can come to England and still run into people we knew at our last assignment :-) It truly was good to see them and to hear about how they are doing out here. Now to get the pictures uploaded from my daughters camera from the night...wish me luck there.

Quote of the Day

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'
Ronald Reagan

TGIF

No one is more happy that it's Friday than I am! It's been a long week! I'm going to an awards banquet with friends and we're dressing up :-) I think that I will take the first step and lead by example and wear more formal attire. we always dressed up for these events at our last assignment so why would we not want to dress up here? Give me a reason to dress up and I'll take it!

Now to work some more on my quilting project for a little while and then to get ready for the evening.

Quote of the Day

Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.
- Blaise Pascal

vermin, illness and disease

If you haven't guessed it, sickness is back here at our house. My daughter was violently ill last night for many hours and this morning my son is sick- this is not good, not good at all. I'm a sympathetic vomiter, meaning is, if they are puking wretchedly so will I. This really is not good. So once the shops open up I am out of here- off to buy Lysol, bleach and those disinfecting wipes.

This illness is making it's way through our children's school and through our neighborhood. I brought a meal to a neighbor yesterday as she and her entire family of 5 were all ill with this same thing. I didn't touch a door knob or a person, I simply brought a meal over, gave my condolences and left. My heart goes out to our friends as it can be rather rough when the caregivers aka Mom and Dad are sick too.

On a brighter note- I managed to get all of the fabric pieces cut for my quilted table runner project and have plans to sew some on it today.

Quote of the Day

It is not giving children more that spoils them; it is giving them more to avoid confrontation.
John Gray, "Children Are From Heaven"

Somthing silly

Want something funny to do? Go to Urbandictionary.com and look up your name. here's what I came up with...and yes my first name is actually Sandra.


A strong name for a strong woman--A Sandra, especially one born under the star (sun) sign of Aries tends to be intelligent, witty, extremely open, honest & passionate and will do whatever it takes to uphold her morals. While these are extremely admirable traits, they also mean that they should never be crossed. Hope you are paying attention, you... See More have been warned!!
On the flip-side, if you do the right thing (and why wouldn't you?) a Sandra will go out of her way to make your life beautiful.
While fiercely independent, a Sandra has both a strong sense of community and family and will do whatever it takes (regardless of personal cost) to defend and protect those that she cares about.
Do yourself a favour – find a Sandra; stocks are limited and they are (rightly so) in high demand.
Need a friend? Look no further than Sandra

Now wouldn't this make a great scrapbook layout? toss in a picture or two of yourself, some great background papers a couple of embellishments and there you have it!

Quote of the Day

The path to success is to take massive determined action.
--Anthony Robbins

Paying Homage to the Crafters in my Life

For those crafters out there- was there someone who was an early crafting influence in your childhood?

For me I had a couple- My mom who was always making something be it crochet, knitting, stitchery, sewing and even macrame and leather work. My Grammy Lola would crochet the most delicate lace doilies and she sewed. My Grams helped me to make my first patchwork quilt when I was 9 years old. My friend Barbara (whom I met in the 3rd grade) and her amazing oil paintings -I actually own one although it's in storage back in the states (would like to own more- hint hint). Barbara could sew, do needlework and take the most amazing photographs- and she did it all YEARS before I could do such things. My friend Barbara possessed this amazing ability to paint when we were children. I remember sitting in an a painting lesson of hers and being in awe- her mom brought in an instructor after school in their home.

I confess, I can't paint for beans, I've tried, the Lord knows I have tried without much success, LOL! . My watercolors are, well they are nothing to write home about- I do them for my own amusement. Now I can do those 3-d type stencils and add detail to them to make them seem more lifelike, but to draw them out freehand and then paint on the walls? Oh no, I do not begin to pretend to own such talent as to be able to do that. My crocheting- it's okay (insert snickering here). I can make a scarf and even a simple afghan although I prefer to make scarves because they go much quicker :-) Knitting? yeah right! I don't have the patience for knitting. here's a little secret tidbit about myself- I know how to work a weaving loom, and once upon a time I had a small one and I actually made stuff with it :-) Sadly, I sold it after I got married- I really wish that I would have kept it. Embroidery- learned that at an early age, still love to do it to this day. Every once in a while I find the urge to sit down and whip up a project- I've get about a half dozen needlework projects that need me to finish them up and get them mounted and off to the framers.

Artistic influences surround me every day, wrapping me in their endless warmth and love. Shapes, colors, textures and how they flow seem to draw me in like a moth to a flame.

Simply put- I love doors. Doors open up into rooms, so you can create a space have it look a certain way then simply close the door and walk into another room and stylize it a completely different way. My house is like a small art museum, showcasing Art made by myself, my children, my husband and our friends and our extended family. In our living-room you will see oil paintings on the walls that were done by my children's great grandmother- my husbands' Grammy Dorie, floral photographs taken by yours truly. I have some handmade quilts on display on a rack in a corner and in a handmade basket (Longaberger of course) again made by friends or myself. There are many counted cross stitching works that I've had matted and framed that are proudly hung on the walls throughout our home- some made by dear friends and others by yours truly.

Now I suppose you can now understand why I felt so displaced for all those months while in our temporary quarters. Being without ones personal treasures, the things I deem near and dear to my heart had me feeling lost...and now, I'm home again.

Quote of the Day

Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.
--Peter Drucker

Bicester Wool

I love that little shop! They're closed Sundays and Mondays BUT they have something NEW...I saw in their store window Moda fabrics, jelly rolls and charm packs!!! I am thrilled beyond belief! I can't wait to go back and see what kind of the quilting goodies that have to offer. :-) I am doing the Happy Dance!

Happy February!

A new month and with it comes new adventures! When in doubt, do something crafty! Maybe you find solace in needlework, counted cross stitching, embroidery, crewel work, macrame, knitting or crochet. What ever it is be sure to have fun while doing it!

Quote of the Day

Live each season as it passes; breath the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
-Henry David Thoreau

Creating in Color

I don't know about you but there are times when I am driven to create something in a particular color. I went though all of my quilt patterns and found a suitable project for someone getting over an illness....not too busy or complicated, small and a limited number of colors and pieces to cut. It's a table runner that I bought from Pearl Louise (her shop is located in Rapid City South Dakota)a while back called "Chocolate Covered Cherries". It's an adorable table runner that has hearts set at an angle, I've always meant to take the time to make it but alas there were so many other projects calling me that (I'm ashamed to say it) I pushed it off until another time. I've gone though my stash of fabrics and I must admit it took me a while to pick just the right pink- the brown and green fabrics were never in question and once I found the right pink fabric the 4th color immediately fell into place. The off white with the hint of swirled bits of tan and the pink rose buds with green leaves were perfect!

Now for me to get the fabric pressed and cut and ready to stitch together. I'm excited to be making my first quiting project in my new to me home.

Quote of the Day

There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.
Ken Olsen (1926 - ), President, Digital Equipment, 1977

reduce reuse recycle

It seems that no matter how many times I "purge" items from my home I always seem to find "something" to be able to donate. I hate to throw away embroidery and counted cross stitching charts, I've tried selling them before and I've actually sold a few of them. But now, I'm just going to donate them. Our church has a donations spot for such items and I plan on bringing many items to fill up the spot. As I was going through my cross stitching charts I came across some patterns for "teachers gifts". My children are well past the age of giving teachers gifts and with that I'm going to be donating those charts so others can make a special gift for their child's teacher.

Now to get on with things here at home. I'm feeling better after my drug induced coma and I slept like a rock. It's the first time in days that I don't feel as if I have a metal rod in my spine and neck. I'm taking it easy and won't over do it, I promise. I'm going to sport some fabric and take some close up pictures of my armoire (how it's made sort of pictures).

Must have more coffee and then I'm off to sift through a few Rubbermaid totes of fabric.

Quote of the Day

If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.
-Albert Einstein

I'm not quite dead yet

With that being said, I've gone and made an appointment to see the doctor today. I've been suffering with a headache since Tuesday, my neck is sore and stiff, my spine hurts, I'm achy all over, running a low grade fever, I'm exhausted and I suffer from dizzy spells. Lets not talk about the tummy problems. So I'm going to see the doctor- maybe he can tell me what's wrong. A couple of friends who are nurses are super concerned about my health and yes, I'm taking their advice and am getting checked out. Now back to bed until my husband comes home to take me to the med clinic.

Quote of the Day

Dead Body Collector: BRING OUT YOUR DEAD *CLANK*
Live Guy: Alrighty here you go
Dead Guy: I'm not quite dead yet
DBC:what?
LG: Oh nothing here's your 9 pence
DG I'm not dead
DBC: He says he's not dead yet
LG: He is
DG I'm not
DBC: he says he's not
LG: Ah he will be he's very ill
DG: I'm getting better
LG: Oh be quiet you'll be stone dead in a moment

-Monty Python and the Holy Grail

It's only a little broken...

Everyday and every outing is an adventure. Yesterday was not without it's adventures that's for sure.

After going to the doctor (on base) and then being referred to radiology in another town- the results are in...words from the radiology tech "it's only a little broken but not enough to warrant US putting a cast on it". This is the NHS at work. The looks on our faces must have been something because my daughter and I looked at each other after the tech left and both uttered the same words...WHAT??? Did she just say what I thought she said? We drive back to the base to bring the x-rays to the Doctor for him to look at only to discover that the clinic closed at 3 pm, nice! No one told us that it closes early on Wednesdays, that would have been nice to know. If I wasn't so darn sick it would have been down right comical.

We still have the brace from the last time Hannah ratched out her left wrist. Funny thing is that I came across the thing last week and had put it on her dresser- how is that for ironic? LOL!

So here I am at home being sick. Neck hurts, I've got aches and pains all over, I still have a headache (going on day 3), low grade fever, feeling dizzy at times, I've got tummy and intestinal problems and I basically feel as if I've been hit by a bus. It's amazing that I don't have a runny nose nor do I have a cough-yet. I'm sure that it's just a matter of time until I do. But the weirdest thing is that my nose sure is awfully itchy!!!

Enough said, I'm going back to bed.

Quote of the Day

Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.
George Sand (1804 - 1876)

No time like the present...

So here we are...I've said it before I'll say it again- My life is a series of little emergencies. Andrew 'just" made it to the bus this morning, then I took Hannah to see the Doctor this morning to check her left wrist as it may be broken. She was horsing around giving a friend a piggy back ride and fell down- Ouch! This happened on Monday. I came back from our trip to see the orthodontist at Lakenheath sicker than a dog. I've been sick since yesterday, mild fever, major headache, I feel like I'm going to vomit at the drop of a hat and the other thing (diarrhea). All together, those are symptoms of the FLU. I'm sorry I don't have time to be sick, but yet I am...this sucks! Did I mention that I had the H1N1 flu vaccine yesterday...yes, while I was feeling like this. Oh yeah! My arm still hurts from the shot too.

I'll be taking Hannah to the hospital in Banbury in a few hours for her to have some x-rays done of her wrist (we had to make an appointment for this). Meanwhile I'm going back to bed.

Quote of the day

I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.
- J. D. Salinger

The to do list

How do you start your week? Do you start your week off with a to do list? I do. Sometimes it's a short list and others it long. Here's the kick off for my week

Monday-

• call /get seat on medical shuttle for tomorrow-DONE
• drop off my son's muddy suit at dry cleaners DONE
• hang valance in formal dining room DONE
• press valances for Master Bedroom DONE
• press valances for Hannah's bedroom DONE
• take pictures of armoire
• post pictures of dowel/curtain rod

Tuesday-

• Hannah and I take medical shuttle to Lakenheath
• look for items at BX and commissary (as time permits)
• mail package to my Mom
• do price comparison at our BX
• buy grocery items at commissary
• fill minivan w/petrol
• bake mini muffins for retirees social

Wednesday-

• retirees social- drop off mini muffins
• start work on crafting project
• laundry- a never ending circle

There it is...the kick off to my week.

Quote of the Day

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
-Kahlil Gibran The Prophet, On Friendship

Using US appliances in the UK

My husband is indeed the man who came home with the goods! Yes, I have to say that I was a little apprehensive when it comes to my darling husband buying me a coffee pot. My requirements were simple- coffee maker needs to run on 220 voltage, carafe needs to be between 10 and 12 cups and it needs to be programmable. Well he surprised me with the Braun KF590- it even has a Brita water filter-woohoo! Braun (to me) is the Kitchen Aid appliance maker of the European world! It had an entire pot of steaming hot coffee brewed in 10 minutes- no joke! Talk about awesome!

Now for my American friends coming over to England or being stationed in an any other European country. Even if your house has the built in transformer taking 220 and making it 110 your appliances WILL have a hard time with the 50/60 hertz issue. Unless our appliances are 50/60 hertz adaptable they will have a very hard time preforming in the same manner as they did state side and they will die an early death. I highly recommend putting your appliances into storage and buying new ones here. I have not replaced all of my appliances that I had put into storage, I bought the ones I can get by with. I bought a hand mixer in replacement of my stand mixer, I bought a combination Immersion Blender/food processor to replace 3 appliances- my food processor, my stick mixer (immersion blender) and my table top blender.

My poor little Kitchen Aid coffee maker that I had shipped to myself was now taking 1 hour to brew a pot of coffee that used to take 10 to 15 minutes to brew. After 6 months of near daily use I have to be honest with myself and admit that I may have ruined it- I'll find out in the autumn of 2012 when I see it again.

Quote of the Day

I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty.
-Imelda Marcos

Secret Toast and Jam

What is it about toast out here in the UK? I've always loved toast- toast and jam, toast and apple-butter, toast and cinnamon sugar- all that. But the folks out here take it one level higher. While I was out looking to buy a replacement coffee maker I was in a store that had 28 different toasters on display ranging from £7.50 to £149.95 I couldn't believe it! It was the same for electric water/tea kettles again it was amazing- there were 30 of those and ranging in price from £10.00 to £249.99...it's an electric water heater people what is the attraction? I was cracking up with the prices and the selection. I've seen this very thing at 3 different stores now...rows of electric tea kettles and toasters as far as the eye could see. And with all of that, only 1 coffee maker on display and it was £80- eeek! At the 2nd and 3rd shops they weren't coffee makers in the normal sense (I'll explain more further on).

While in the states I remember having a selection of a whopping 3 electric water bubblers (that's what I call them). I bought the one with the features I liked- no heating element to be seen inside, auto shut off, side view water level, pouring filter and a base the kettle sat on. I had my nifty water bubbler put into storage before moving out here. Soon after moving here I bought myself one that works on 220 voltage that had all of the features that my other one had.

Now I've been looking to replace my beloved Kitchen Aid coffee pot for one that's made to work with the voltage system out here. Our house has a built in transformer (yes it's a rather nice feature if I do say so myself) so I can use both British and American appliances. But my poor coffee pot was suffering, it's been having a hard time with the 50/60 hertz thing and brewing a pot of coffee was taking 4 times longer than it should- so I decided to send it back to the states for storage and I will seek a new coffee pot out here.

Searching for a coffee pot out here has been a little more difficult than I thought it would be, LOL! I know that they drink coffee out here, but everywhere I go I see these little coffee machines that use those small round coffee pouches and make 1 cup of coffee at a time. That's not what I'm looking for. I want a real honest to goodness coffee maker, one that brews between 10 to 12 cups of coffee at a time and it flows into a glass carafe. So today... my darling husband with all his wisdom will be at the mother base and he's looking at coffee makers for me. That's right, I've got my non-coffee drinking husband looking to buy me a coffee maker- man oh man, either I'm desperate or very trusting, actually I think it's a combination of both! we shall see what he comes home with.

So I'm spending the morning drinking PG Tips tea, having toast and my favorite jam -Smuckers (seedless) Blackberry Jam :-) Hopefully in combination with my headache medication it'll help me work past the migraine headache that I woke up with.

Quote of the Day

Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action.
-Mother Teresa

Consumed

Here I am, yet again consumed with my stuff being packed up and going into non-temp storage and the movers who are packing my belongings up into cardboard boxes. What a life!

Quote of the Day

Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.
-Daniel Burnham

Be Happy where you are!

Here in the UK as back in the states I prefer to surround myself with things that make me happy;paper crafts, quilting, sewing, gardening and reading. Making my house into a home and making friends with positive thinking God fearing people that I can have meaningful relationships with are both key to my happiness. I do feel that I have been blessed with regards to both.

Today it may have been gloomy dark and gray outside but inside at a friends home it was bright cheery and full of great conversation and laughter. None of us realized how overcast it was outside. Leaving my friends house was like stepping out into another world. So here I am reminiscing of the great time I had this afternoon while putting away groceries and having a cuppa. Indeed I am blessed!

Quote of the Day

Sometimes the measure of friendship isn't your ability to not harm but your capacity to forgive the things done to you and ask forgiveness for your own mistakes.
Randy K. Milholland, Something Positive Comic, 11-07-05

make your own curtain rods

The first of my new twist on making a cheap version of a wooden curtain rod are in place. I gave my idea over to my husband who in turn made it happen (I love that he can do that). We've used dowels and hooks- I've done this very thing when hanging quilts on the wall for display and well I thought this..."why wouldn't the same concept work on curtains or valances?" When you see the ones I'm using for the kitchen in the kitchen/breakfast area you will snort and giggle. I have finial ends for those too :-) I hope to share this little brain storm with others. There are things to your spend money on then there are things to spend as little as possible on, LOL! Buying curtain rods in the UK can be pretty expensive when you think that for every British pound it is roughly costing $1.70- so £50.00 is actually $81.32 in US dollars and today's exchange rate is low ($1.62) but our bank tacks on a fee- a percentage for using our credit card here in the UK so the rates go up-ugh! Enough about money and exchange rates!

I'm here to show others how to make curtain rods from Dowels and to be able to keep a few hard earned dollars in their pockets! So I'm off to take some pictures of my husbands handiwork and hopefully get him to buy some more dowels at the hardware store so we can finish the rest of the house. But knowing him and how it's a "holiday" he'll probably go into work for a while...he always does.

About Dowels here in the UK- they are about 2½ meters long unlike buying Dowels in the USA which are about 3 feet in length. So you and I CAN use these to make curtain rods for wide windows :-) Dowels come in many different widths which makes them perfect for this very thing! From hanging heavy quilts to room darkening drapes these are the things to same us some $$ or in the case some £'s. Stay tuned for some pictures...

What 3 day weekend?

As friends ask me- What are YOU doing on this 3 day weekend? Well I don't mention 3 days weekends around my kids as it bums them out because they attend British school and well they don't celebrate American federal holidays now do they, LOL! So the kids are in school, I'm still in my jammies typing away on the computer and my husband...well maybe he's relaxing reading a book in the living room.


The rain has just about washed away all of the snow, there are a handful of little white spots lurking around our backyard but I'm sure that those will be gone by the afternoon. The grass is even more green and beautiful, hopefully it'll stay cold enough to keep it dormant so we won't have to mow it, LOL! Now on to my craft endeavors...

Quote of the Day

I don't put on airs of how I am, or what I expect people to be like around me. Be yourself, be who God intended you to be. We all are here on this planet for such a short while, live life to it's fullest, give yourself to worthy causes, be true to your work, your word and your friends.
-Sandie Grisé

that's right, I quoted myself today, this is an excerpt from a letter that I wrote to a dear friend as I felt that she needed a lifting word from yours truly.

Rainy Day Fun!

I love the rain, especially when it's clearing away all of this yucky snow! I think that it's time to have some rainy day fun!

Maybe I'll hang some window treatments and give a cheery view to the out of doors. Or I could bake a scrumptious cheesecake (I'm thinking tropical flavors) or how about finishing up the pack up stuff for the non-temp storage pick up? What ever I do I'm going to be sure to have fun doing it! Maybe if I'm lucky I can knock out all 3 this weekend!

Haiti

By now everyone all over the world has heard about the terrible devastation that has occurred in Haiti. I want to encourage you to give if you can. I have no heartfelt story to tell you of some past trip or connection to anyone who has been there. I have only this to say - these are people that have a suffered a terrible tragedy and are in need of our compassion

Quote of the Day

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
-Anne Frank

2212/1770

2212 That's the number of views my my webshots page has had this past week and 1770 is how many views my scrapbooking/crafting room album has had this week-WOW! I hope that all who saw my album have been able to find inspiration from the pictures of my various scrapbook nooks over the years. I just keep adding pictures to the album. I think that it also gives an insight as to the evolution of my crafting spaces not to mention the ever changing selection of items available to us for organizing such spaces.

My very first crafting space was of course the kitchen table and I stored my items in a tote bag then I spread into a small linen closet (that was Texas), next was a corner in the formal dining room in Virginia, then in government quarters aka military housing in South Dakota it was a utility closet (I shared my space with a water heater and a furnace), then a room that was made especially for my scrapbooking and paper crafting habit (the house we bought in South Dakota) and now here in England it's a very small bedroom of which I've been able to create my latest Scrapbook Nook". All along this journey I've used what was available to me. The industry that designs and sells Organization tools and supplies has undergone an evolution of it's own- there's so much more available to us now. Places like IKEA are virtual fountains of inspiration- just walking through the various sections makes my imagination soar! The hardest part is figuring out what you want, the 2nd hardest part- putting together the items that you just bought at IKEA, LOL!

Quote of the Day

A little and a little, collected together, becomes a great deal; the heap in the barn consists of single grains, and drop and drop make the inundation.
-Saadi

I'm a Mom- that's my job

Being a Mom to 2 teenagers who attend school in a foreign country isn't easy. Rules for testing and so forth are different here although it does remind me greatly of when we lived state of Virginia. Way Virginia? Because that's a state that teaches their state test just like England teaches the stuff that's on their GCSE tests.

It's the national testing of students and the GCSE testing. It's done at the same time all across England and even with the given current conditions across the country with many schools being closed because of the snow on the roads (which they won't plow) they won't postpone this testing- INSANE!!!! Thousands of schools are closed and the testing still goes on. Where am I going with this you wonder? Our school Kingham Hill out in Chipping Norton realizes the importance of this testing and doesn't want our kids to miss out on this. Can they take the test again in June? Well yes BUT and there is a rather large BUT in all of this. You see, the test given in June is;
1- not the same test
2- they can not prep for this test again with another mock test
3- if they fail the test in June they are screwed!

So it's best if they all take the test now and if any one of them fails for it, they have that 2nd chance to pass it.

The school organized a convoy of 4x4 vehicles, called parents to see if they were interested in having their children picked up in this unconventional manner and be boarded at school for a couple of days while they administered the tests. Only the children having testing on Thursday or Friday would be picked up (year 10 students). My Hannah being a year 10 student was part of that group. I was very impressed with the fact that the schools' headmaster was in that convoy, organizing the pick ups and so forth. Granted we American parents were only given a couple hours notice of this event, we for the most part got our teens packed and ready to go. Only a small handful decided not to send in their children via the convoy due to the poor road conditions. I don't blame those parents for making that decision, I was at a crossroads myself with making my decision to send in our daughter.

Being a mom whose daughter may be spending one or maybe a few nights at boarding school, well I decided to do something special for my daughter. I sent her in with tons of American snack foods...to share with the other girls in the dorm where she is staying. I figure that she's a visitor and those girls have been cooped up there at the school while the Day Boarders got to stay home because of the snow. I sent in my entire secret stash of Girl Scout cookies, Microwave Popcorn the Movie Theater Butter variety, Fig Newtons cookies - apparently the British Kids at this school are crazy about these cookies and we haven't the faintest clue as to why, LOL! Instant lemonade packets- just drop it into a water bottle (with water of course) and Voila! It's the little things that make kids happy. If I had more time I would have made brownies and chocolate chip cookies for Hannah to bring with her to share. From an American view, I have made an awkward last minute boarding situation into a fun loving slumber party...Life is Good! Although I miss my daughter, I hope that she enjoys her time with her bunk mates, that she gains a new perspective on things and sees things through the eyes of the boarding students and how life is for them.

I'm off to wake up our son who doesn't have school today (because of the buses not running due to the poor roads conditions) and then to organize my quilting fabrics.

Quote of the Day

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny ...'
- Isaac Asimov